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Topic Review (Newest First)

03-13-2009 09:43 PM

Faster

It's safe enough to go up on a chair... make sure the halyard looks up to the task. The biggest problem with little boats is finding enough winch power to haul someone up. Set up another halyard along the mast (preferably rope) so you can pull yourself up and help yourself along. It will be noticeably less stable than the 42 footer up there.

If your sailbags all have a Thunderbird insignia, they may well be from a former sailmaker by that name, rather than meant for a Thunderbird 26. They (Thunderbird sails) were around back in the day. I suspect that you probably have Thunderbird sails, rather than a sail for a Thunderbird..... if you get what I mean!

03-13-2009 05:43 PM

shawmac

Uh oh, looks like we might be in trouble as we don't have a kite to fly! and are sporting some tired sails And YOUR boat looks like a bullet!

I've not been up the mast yet (we have a few masthead projects - wind indicator, refitting the halyard, possibly running a masthead light) so when I do I'll take some measurements. Actually, there's a question - how does one normally do masthead repairs/inspections on a 24' boat? I've only ever done them on a 42', when I just went up in a bosun's chair or climbing harness. Is it safe to go up on a boat this small, or would it be safer to simply drop the mast (*sigh*)?

Oh man, I have been plauged by this question as well! I have actually climbed half way up the mast using my climbing harness and slings (didn't get winched up a halyard) and that was enough of a struggle! I really don't want to drop the mast, but now it looks like our steaming light has finally packed it in

If you have any quick fixes, pending approval from the boss (girlfriend), the gf's suite balcony overhangs deep water that with the right jockeying and the right tide, is at masthead height (or at least the landlords above is at mid-tide when there is more water). I have also snuck onto the neighbours pier in the dark to replace the bulb in the steaming light :lol:

03-13-2009 05:15 PM

serah

I assume the sails are from a Thunderbird - I don't think they still have the T-bird insignia on the sail, but all the bags still have it on them. As I said above, it seems big for the space. However, with the adjustable boom height, perhaps we can make it fit. Is there any disadvantage to pulling the boom down lower? It looks like there's still about 10 inches to the top of the mast from the head of the sail when it's as snug as I can get it. I hope that will be enough to pull it up, but I'm starting to doubt that.

I've not been up the mast yet (we have a few masthead projects - wind indicator, refitting the halyard, possibly running a masthead light) so when I do I'll take some measurements. Actually, there's a question - how does one normally do masthead repairs/inspections on a 24' boat? I've only ever done them on a 42', when I just went up in a bosun's chair or climbing harness. Is it safe to go up on a boat this small, or would it be safer to simply drop the mast (*sigh*)?

03-13-2009 04:54 PM

Faster

Did you say it was a sail of a Thunderbird? Best info I can find is that your "P" meas is 30 vs the Tbird's 31 (thats the length of the main along the mast, btw.)

If the sail hasn't been modified that could be your problem right there.

I was a beginner so I did not realize the problem immediately but I have since come across the odd newbie suffering the same experience as me and was able to point out the problem, after which they got a good laugh.

Hehe, reminds me of the other day when I got a good laugh at the Admiral after she had been frustrated by attempts to check the battery voltage at the motor, but had neglected to take the protective plastic tips off the multimeter first. She got a good laugh at me after I too was frustrated -- because I had neglected to switch on the batteries

We all miss the obvious now and then.

03-13-2009 03:44 PM

serah

Well, we really didn't have a lot of choice - she had to be brought home soon, as the previous owner (Ahh! how nice to be able to say that instead of current owner!) needed his slip. It was either take her home in the cold (but fair winds) or leave her on transient moorage at easy 50$ a night and quickly eat through any savings we may have made on her. Plus, there's something to be said for pushing yourself - I wonder how much of a mental block it would have created if we'd told ourselves "no, we should wait. It's too rough/cold out today." That would linger in the back of our minds, likely making us hesitant to attempt another roughish crossing. It always amazes me how much of a drogue the "I can't do it" mindset can be...

If only our sail problem could be resolved so easily! The vang was loose, as were the main sheets and pseudo-cunningham. We were pointed dead into the wind, so it wasn't filled as we hoisted. We have the engine off for some much needed TLC (though she ran like a champ! A bit rough to start, but got us the ~70nm home without stalling or anything!) but we'll try to hoist this weekend and see what exactly is going on.

As for the other sails, I'm thrilled with the funny dual-track jib-hoist system (apart from her tendency to flap in the wind while on the hook, and her one jagged edge which tore a hole in my down vest ) I've never used one before. Apparently, the idea is to be able to drop one sail while hoisting the second. However, the tracks seem to be different sizes? A lot less work than hanking, and much quicker to boot.

I'm very interested in seeing how she compares to the San Juan 24'! That was one of the other boats we'd considered. Apparently, she was designed as a competitor (read: to be a touch faster!) than the San Juan. Give us a few months to coax her back to health, and for me to teach the boy (and admitedly, fully remind myself!) how to sail spin, and we'll challenge you to a Sailnet Battle of the Classes sail-off

Success! The boat is ours, and safely moored in Reed Point Marina. Here's a link to some photos from her haul a while back:

The boat handles beautifully. She's nimble and handles even pretty big water with ease. There are a few odd things with the rigging (namely that the current ownder used goldbraid as the main halyard, and there's no winch. Which means I'm at the mast standing on a very slanty (icy?) deck pulling on a halyard which refuses to go up any further, as it simply stretches. *sigh* We can't seem to get the sail up high enough, leaving the boom with a rather severe downward angle.
In short, we're thrilled, even if we realize how much of a project boat she truly is going to be.

Congrats on your new to you boat, looks very nice. I guess Indian Arm will be your practice grounds at Reed Point. I can't believe you got yourselves out there in the cold we have had this week, you must eat nails for breakfast to be that tough.
I couldn't help thinking about your stretched halyard dilema. This may not be your case but it happened to me in my first season. I had a similar problem in that I could not get the mainsail all the way up the mast. I thought something was hanging it up in the slugs or perhaps blockage in the mast track, but try as I did the stupid thing just would not go all the way up and the boom was hanging on a slant downwards. So I finally sat down right there at the mast base to ponder my situation and when my eyes glanced along the boom to the boom vang I saw the vang was pulled in real tight and holding the boom down thereby holding the leach of the mainsail tight. No wonder the stupid sail woulddn't go all the way up. So I loosened the vang and the mainsheet as well, then up went the mainsail all the way to the top. DoH, I was a beginner so I did not realize the problem immediately but I have since come across the odd newbie suffering the same experience as me and was able to point out the problem, after which they got a good laugh. It was probably too cold for you to sit out there to troubleshoot the situation but by now you may have already figured it out.
Enjoy your new to you boat, they are wonderful toys, and the $$spending never stops.

03-13-2009 08:52 AM

sailingdog

Congrats Serah. Post photos when you can.

03-13-2009 01:55 AM

shawmac

Congrats on the safe delivery Sarah! Good to see some more sailers that aren't scared of the chills.

We'll have to have a little 24 footer race in the arm We'll definitely keep an eye out for Samurai... If the wind is blowing, there is always a good chance you'll see Troika the San Juan 24 out there keeping the bottom clean.

Well, it wasn't that cold... apparently, it was only -14C with the wind chill yesterday.

And, she's remarkably non-drafty down below. Some decent hatch tape on the forward hatch (we took on some water as we plowed through a couple of the 2+ m waves) should fix that. Luckily, we'd anticipated that, and had a tarp down over our kit.

We'll be down tomorrow night again to start the other projects. If we can raise the main while at the dock, I'll snap a few and ask questions. I think part of it is that the main simply seems too big (it's from a Thunderbird). I'll take a tape measure and do IPJE and all the others sometime soon. Even with a loose outhaul (which currently doesn't work at all ) there's not much space at the end of the boom to haul it out. The boom height is adjustable, which helped when we hoisted the second time. I hope most of it is that ridiculous halyard, and hence not enough tension in the roach/leech.

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